Dear Editor,

The practice of simply washing one’s hands is often overlooked by far too many of our people.

Some simply run selected fingertips under a tap and pat-dry on their clothes. Now they are being educated about thorough washing of the hands by means of soap and water. Great!

What seems absurd, though, is the increasing unavailability of potable tap water. A significant number of people who once had full access to this essential resource are now wilting from being deprived, although they consistently receive monthly water bills.

We are living in the ultra-modern Age of Aquarius. So, with the ‘visitation’ to our space by COVID-19, how do waterless Jamaicans wash their hands as they are supposed to? By transcendental meditation?

Bottled water is not a viable option as far as regular hand-washing is concerned. Moreover, not many Jamaicans are able to afford such. Then again, through the very handling of the bottles there is the threat of exposure to fomites; that is, all the things that are handled by infected individuals.

Sanitisers, even if every person could afford them, cannot replace soap and water. Furthermore, the ugly, dirty-looking water carriers (water trucks), manned by impatient, and frequently crude attendants, will not help.

Jamaica is small and vulnerable, but there is no need to panic in the midst of this intrusive new-age virus.

To keep things under control, though, we need running water. Taps must be ‘resurrected’, rather than stand as monuments of the life force.

The advertisements concerning hand washing are helpful, though taunting, since many citizens have quite limited and sometimes no access to water.

Despite the challenges, we will have to try to save/protect ourselves. Each of us, through the practice of proper hygiene, with focus on hand-washing, must endeavour to obviate, debilitate, and curtail the spread of the befuddling COVID-19.

Blessings!

Erica Brown Marriott

c/o piapam2014@gmail.com